Hola!/Monday Mantra

And I'm back. Blogging (most social media for that matter,) has had to take a bit of a backseat in the last few weeks. Sucks, but hey, sometimes it's the reality of life. I'm just glad to be getting back into the swing of things (and catching up as well)!

Summer has been good to me so far: Catching up with friends and family, keeping busy, listening to "Atmosphere," "Blurred Lines," and "Get Lucky," on repeat, and new dance classes. There was a small incident involving slicing my finger open on a seltzer bottle, but the now 1-inch scar is healing, so I'm over it. (This is why I need a Sodastream!) I just can't believe that August is in a few days and that summer is quickly coming to an end. Truly, where does the time go?!

I love the above quote so much because I am a dreamer through and through, and if it's one thing I love about summer, it's that it feels like it's endless, and like anything is possible. I've definitely realized how important some of my dreams are in the last few weeks, and why it is essential for me to act on them now. No matter how difficult it may seem, and while it may change daily, I never want to quit my day dream. 

*image via Pinterest

Inspiring Me This Week (So Far)

This week has been an exceptionally inspiring one, and I just couldn't help but share them with you. 

1. 60 Minutes

image via One World, One Ocean

It never fails that when I feel like I am losing faith in humanity, something happens or comes to my attention that proves this to be not the case. This  weeks edition of 60 Minutes featured some incredibly selfless people that go out of there way day in and day out to protect, help, and present opportunities to others that they may not have them otherwise. Their goal in life is not to make millions (so some featured have) but to help and serve their fellow human in awe inspiring ways. Watching these interviews restored my faith and reminded me that this world is truly filled with great people. 

2. Levo League Office Hours with Warren Buffet 

Watch live streaming video from levoleague at livestream.com

I know I've mentioned Levo League before, but definitely not to the extent that it deserves. I joined Levo last summer, and I honestly cannot be without their articles and their bi-weekly Office Hours. This past Tuesday, Levo League co-founder and CEO Caroline Ghosn sat down with the one and only Warren Buffet. I find it so astonishing that regardless of his "status" Warren Buffet is incredibly humble and believes in everyone getting a fair chance in reaching and achieving their full potential. Even more remarkable is his belief and passion that women have everything necessary to succeed in the workplace and that they should.

“Women should not hold themselves back… Nobody should hold them back.” 

-Warren Buffet

I highly recommend taking some time this weekend (or whenever really!), to check out the recap  and the recording of the live stream on Levo. Not to be missed. 

3. Heather Thomson at Rock the World 

image via the WSJ

Heather Thomson quickly "holla'd" her way into my heart with her real attitude and business savvy in the most recent season of The Real Housewives of New York, and on Wednesday she spoke at the Women Entrepreneurs Rock the World conference. The founder and designer of Yummie Tummie spoke candidly about her career and her brand, and gave some great advice to women entrepreneurs everywhere. I followed along via Twitter (thank God for hashtags!) and here are a few of my favorite quotes and takeaways: 

Heather paid back her $1 million dollar business loan in 2 years. 

"Your ideas are your money. Protect them."

The only other brand DVF carries is Yummie.

"If you doubt yourself, you're f****d."

Besides being a designer, personal stylist, entrepreneur, and mother of two, Heather Thomson is a real "girl's girl" and truly believes in women empowering other women. Lastly she has a heart of gold participating various charities and lending a hand wherever she can. The world needs more Heathers! 

Who or what is inspiring you this week? 

Looks I Love for Spring

images via: 1/2/3/4/5/6

Can you tell I love my jeans and blazers? These images contain looks I am absolutely loving for this season from blush tones, white on white, to white and gold. They also contain some of my favorite items and trends for this season which include a white blazer, a pair of super flare leg jeans and colored denim. 

What looks are you loving and hoping to pick up for spring? 

Inspiration

It's amazing how something as sad as death, can be inspirational and motivational at the same time.

Realizing (at the 99th hour that is my senior year, I know) that I'm not really cut out/in love with my major as I had previously thought, has had me in a rut and doing some major soul searching. After missing the train Tuesday, I decided to skip class, and went back home to take what ended up being a two day mental health vacation (it would have been the whole week, but I had presentations due).

When the news broke Wednesday night, that Steve Jobs had died, I was begrudgingly preparing for the rest of the school week. I was shocked and saddened. My sadness, however, soon became inspiration, when CNN played a clip from a speech Steve Jobs gave in 2005. It then clicked:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve Jobs was nothing short of a genius and as everyone has been saying, a  true visionary. He had successes and he had failures. He had dreams and ideas so big, that many just couldn't fathom them. Yet, no matter what, he let nothing get in his way. For that I am grateful, because I can't imagine my life without my Macbook, my iPhone, and most certainly not my iPod. 

So thank you Steve Jobs, for sharing not just your wonderful inventions and products, but also your passion, with the world. 

Lastly, I wanted to share this clip I saw earlier today. What a great sense of humor Mr. Jobs had. 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! :)